


Matcha Green and Oolong Blue (Lapidot Human AU)

by Gingi98726



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Coffee Shops, F/F, Human, Slow Burn, University
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-01-07 02:43:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 15,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18401510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gingi98726/pseuds/Gingi98726
Summary: Lapis Lazuli works at Beach City Coffee and Tea and Peridot Green has made an entrance into her life. Peridot comes with a lot of traumas, but so does Lapis and they have a lot more in common than they think. Follow them as they grow closer and come out not as broken on the other side.This is a work in progress. It's my first work ever so I am really excited! Please leave comments so I know what I am doing right or not so right. Also, bear with the picture hopefully will change soon I am not an artist.  I hope you all like it!





	1. Beach City Coffee and Tea

The first two hours of my 2-10 shift were relatively quiet. I only had one older gentleman who just wanted straight black coffee and left nodding thanks with a little lift of his to-go cup, beside him no one came in after my boss left. Most people in town were at the beach tonight listening to one of the first summer music concerts of the year even though it was only early April. As mayor Dewy liked to say it was “early tourism for the town and starting the summer off right”.  
Tonight my friend Sadie was playing with her band, Sadie Killer and the Suspects. I was sad I couldn't go and support her and enjoy the music, but my boss was taking his family to Empire City for the weekend. So, that met I was the only one able to work. He knew I was bummed and gave me an extra 20 bucks for me having to miss her concert and work the whole weekend. He was a good boss, definitely better than my last.  
As I bent over to pick up a few rouge beans that had fallen from when I made the gentlemen's coffee the bell attached to the front door tingled. A blond with a green stripe in her hair had burst in her eyes searching and was huffing, out of breath slightly.  
“Welcome to Beach City Coffee and Tea. What can I ge-”  
“Wifi!? Do you have public wifi?” I could hear the pleading in her voice. She looked like she could possibly cry at any moment.  
“Yes… but before I tell you the password why do you need it so bad?” I said as I slid the laminated paper with the password slightly out of her sight. I knew I was being nosey and should have just pointed at the password and made her order something to be allowed to use it, as was policy, but I was curious and slightly concerned. I had seen her plenty of times rushing across Beach City University before I was forced out. She always looked on edge, but then again I am always on edge. She carried herself different though she couldn't hide that she was at the cusp of falling.  
“Because those clods at the stupid school took my wifi privileges” Her eyes began to well up “and I am in a tournament with my friends at home.”  
I felt bad for asking and letting my nosey side make this small girl cry.  
“Hey, it's okay…” I slid the password over “I know it says you have to buy something to use it, but don't worry it's on me for making you upset. I am sorry about that and the school taking it from you in the first place. What would you like?”  
“It's ok I can get it, it's my fault it got taken...I'm such a clod I should have known better!” She looked at the ground pulling at her hair with her one hand and stomping her foot. Her face became a different shade from the sad pink it had been taking on embarrassed and mad tones. She dug around with the other hand while looking at the wood spirals of the coffee-stained floor as if it would save her from what she did. She pulled out a leather wallet that had a small alien head emblazed on it. She opened it revealing no cash only a punch card to Fish Pizza down the road and a few arcade tokens from Funland Arcade. Her face turned bright red. “That clod took my money and my wifi! I should have never helped her!”  
I pulled the 20 out of my pocket that my boss had given me “It’s on me like I said. What would you like?”  
She shuffled her feet. Her face was upset and embarrassed to let me pick up the tab. “Matcha Green Tea Latte please… and I can pay you back later.”


	2. A Green Bug and Latte Art

I put money in the register and took my change of $17.35 and slid it back into my pocket “Hey, this is a great tip people don’t usually tip this well.” I laughed at my own bad joke of paying myself in her name.  
“Well, I have to tip well to the God of the wifi to appease her. Is it really alright if I use it though?” She looked to the floor again not sure about her joke back or if she could use it.  
I turned my head back toward her where I was working on her latte “Of course you're a paying customer! What kind of tournament is it anyway, that you are playing in, I forgot to ask earlier?”  
“Lunarskys: Champions of Arais” She smiled when I asked about her game. It was the first time I think I had ever seen her smile. Not once when I saw her on campus had I seen it. It made her cheeks push her glasses up her nose revealing some hidden freckles on her nose. “Oh that reminds me can I take the back corner to set up at the table for the tournament.”  
“As you can see this place is crowded so, I don't know if that's possible.” I tutted at myself for being too fucking sarcastic all the time. “I'm just kidding, yeah go ahead.”  
She squealed and ran out the door to her little green Volkswagon bug that I hadn’t noticed was parked right out front. She looked like she threw herself into the back trying to reach her stuff leaving two short legs dangling out the door thrashing back when she had her prize in her hands looking for the ground. As her feet slid and touched down back on earth she turned to sling a full backpack and with a huge desktop computer in her hands. It was half her size and she was struggling. She tried to rest it on her knee as she went to open the pull door. I ran around the counter not wanting her to drop a few hundred to thousand dollars on the sidewalk opening the door for her.  
“Thanks” she squeaked out as she squinted at my name tag as her glasses were pushed half off her face from the corner of the machine pushing at her cheek. “Laaa...pis. Lapis that's a cute name.” she puffed out as she focused on it. As she took a waddling step she almost dropped the damn thing again so I lightly took it from her.  
“Here let me help you I don’t want to see you break this.” She puffed out her chest, but it fell when I took it so easy and had no problem carrying it.  
“Very well, but careful that's my pride and joy. Oh and my names Peridot Green”  
“I will be, Peridot Green” I set it down on the table in the far back with the outlet next to it.  
She put her bag down gently on the floor and started setting up all the wires and pulled out a monitor from her pack with a towel wrapped around it with little aliens on it. I walked back to her latte. That's when I got the best idea.  
She was finished setting up when I walked back over and was letting herself on to the wifi when I came over holding her drink. Her background was of an alien in a flying saucer that was flying back and forth across the screen. I knew I was gonna really make her day now. I set it down gently out of the way of the machine and monitors but where she could reach and see it.  
“Is that what I think it is? No way, this is the best latte art I have ever received.” She proceeded to take out her phone and take a picture of the alien head I had created on the surface of the latte with foam and a little chocolate syrup just enough for the outline. I smiled at the praise of my art even if it was going to disappear with every sip.  
She looked up at me “Thanks again, every other place around here was closed for the concert, even the library. I didn’t even know this place was here I don’t know how I missed it, but I am glad I know it's here now.” she wiggled her butt in the metal seat “Gah, this just won’t do what clod thought metal is a good surface to sit on” She got up and ran to her car popping her trunk and pulling out a small desk chair that I was surprised even fit in her tiny bug. She rolled it in and moved the metal chair out of the way. She saw the surprise in my eyes “I brought it in case something like this came up everything has to go right and be perfect” She puffed out her chest determined.


	3. Nerves and Tea

Peridot was in the middle of the room stretching her arms and cracking her knuckles. Her friends were on discord talking loudly and over each other all warming up in their own way. Peridot seemed to be the most nervous, the rest seemed like this was for fun, but she had winning on her mind. She paced back and forth in front of me and her computer after her stretches. She muted herself and then the party. She turned to me with a look of concern "This tournament means a lot more than they know. I am their captain and I have signed our team up for qualifying and continuing on. I think we have what it takes. I am the best ADC in this region, Bascalist is the best mage I've ever seen, but he's to scared to play ranked, Tangerine is quite a good tank needs some work being a team player, but sometimes her being cocky is to our benefit, but it could be disastrous -" I couldn't tell if this conversation was at me or she was just talking to herself out loud at this point. This was way beyond me and my knowledge of games which was pretty much skeeball and Meat Beat Mania at Funland. She continued mumbling to herself about the other two on her team being team players and knew they would be able to handle whatever the other teams threw at them.  
"Hey, I bet you'll do great and if you don't there are other tournaments right?" I honestly didn't know how tournaments and ranking worked.  
"Yeah, but this one is a big one and there won't be an opportunity till next season. I also don't want them to catch on to my plans if we lose they will lose confidence and bail for next year and I can't lose them. They are some of my closest friends. I shouldn't have signed us up for the competitive tournament I should have just left it at the fun tournament I'm such a clod!" She started panicking more, hyperventilating.  
"It's alright. Here wait right here" I held her shoulders and set her in her comfortable rolling chair and ran to the back grabbing two mugs. I threw together a tea mixture some lavender, oolong, and some sweet blue pea flowers. Giving the tea a vivid blue color that would hopefully calm her nerves. I brought it over to her slightly rocking from. "Here you go try some of this it may help a little".  
"Tea comes in blue? You are full of surprises Lapis" She smelled in the sweet air coming off of the mug. She took a sip. "Gah, needs more sugar or honey how do you drink just the straight tea?" Her reaction was adorable and had me giggling.  
"I don't know sometimes I add stuff, but I like the flavor of the petals they are sweet or tart in their own way and I don't want something to get between me and that taste." As I said this she dumped about three spoons of wildflower honey into her mug.  
"Ahhh, that's better." her shoulder relaxed.  
It was quick to go back to tense as the front door swung open and a short girl, but still slightly taller then Peridot half screamed "P-dot there you are. I have been looking everywhere for you. I saw your car out front and everywhere else is closed I have never been in here before its cute. Oh and sorry I had to borrow some money to take Pearl to lunch to apologize for breaking the window and making her help cover it up. You should have seen her face when she saw the mess." She curled in on herself laughing.  
Peridot spun in her chair moving to the girl with a grace I didn't know she had "Amethyst, you... you clod..." Amethyst went silent and tilted her head back staying curled in but looking at the small girl now towering over her. "You made me hack into the school's database to make sure no one reported the window. The security system caught me and they took my wifi away till they see if I am a threat to the system or not and you took my money without asking you owe me big. And right before my tournament, you know how much it means to me." She broke down in tears as she was yelling, anger is not a mode she can stay, in dropping to sit on the floor.  
Amethyst looked like she wanted to curl in the rest of the way on herself and just die. "I'm sorry I didn't think you'd get caught, dude. I'll make it up to you I'll go to the office Monday when they open and tell them I broke it and I made you try and see if there was a report on it. I'll get your money back too." She reached out lightly to touch Peridots shoulder "I promise".  
Peridot looked up teary-eyed at the girl with soft billowing lavender hair and grabbed her into a hug. "It's ok I'm sorry I yelled. I never yell. Are you mad at me?" Anger was gone as fast as it came.  
"P-dot you say sorry too much. I deserve it I didn't ask to take the money and I kinda got you in the dog house with the computer safety guys." She hugged Peridot back and lifted her slightly off the ground. She caught eyes of me as she was lifting Peridot. "Hey P whos that? She's cute, but that's right you're seeing someone."


	4. Peri's Love and Odd Coffee

I shuffled in my seat as she stared at me. She finally turned away to look at Peridot. Amethyst stuck out her tongue and made a gagging sound. “I don’t know why you like her any way she's a tiny no good twerp. I don't think she even likes you P I think she is just using you for the homework you do for her, and the grade changes, and the money” She was putting a finger up for each one of the uses.  
“I like her cause she… she… she's my girlfriend and she does stuff for me too. Like every once and a while when the jocks are looking for someone to fight she sends Topaz with me.” she interjected.  
“I don’t think her sending her brute of a brother who bullies you is doing something kind or out of love P.”  
I sat there silently. There was a bit of pain in my chest and I didn’t know why. Was it from this girl staring at me or...  
“I, well, she said she loved me the other night. What do you have to say to that?”  
“Oh, did she” Amethyst chuckled and messed with Peridots hair. “Peridot, what did you do for her before that?”  
“Ummm, well, I changed her stats class grade for her last exam.” She looked down at the wood floor again searching for answers.  
“Dude, she's never even held your hand or kissed you, or you know” she gyrated her hips which made her curl over laughing again and Peridot and I just blushed.  
“I’m done with this conversation, no more talking about Aquamarine.” She stomped her foot, but it wasn’t harsh it just came across as cute. “Also before I got to tell you before you went on your tirade, this is Lapis...Lapis I never got your last name, I'm sorry.”  
“Lazuli, Lapis Lazuli can I get anything for you, it’s Amethyst right?” I got up off the chair next to Peridots set up and went up to the counter.  
“I like her better already she actually bothered to remember my name” Amethyst walked up to the counter scanning the menu as Peridot went over to her set up unmuting herself and the others. “Can I get ummm, huh that's weird I like it, can I try this mushroom coffee thing.”  
“Yeah, of course, we just got that in stock the other week. I have no clue what it tastes like though I haven’t got the nerve to try it yet.” I rang her up and started brewing the water to pour over the powdered mushroom concoction before me.  
“Guys, the tournament it's starting we're the second team in the line up so we will be playing against the first the Empire City Strikers.” Her team was nervously talking about what champion they wanted and who they wanted to ban. Peridot looked like her world was going to crash around her if she didn’t win.


	5. Chapter 5- Tournament and End of Shift

I handed over Amethysts coffee if you could call it that in a tall mug. Peridot was bouncing her leg up and down so bad I thought for sure such was going to drill her way through the floorboards. She sipped her tea and I saw her shoulders relax a bit. I picked up her empty matcha mug to get it out of her way as she locked in to her first choice champion. Both me and Amethyst pulled up chairs behind her to watch the match.   
It was nearing 6:30 when they entered the arena of the first match. The next 45 minutes of the match passed with me leaning over every few seconds to ask Amethyst what was happening. She told me to just focus on the Green Alien character with a top hat and bow tie that was Peridots champion and apparently she was really good with him she was the highest tier with him in masteries which is apparently ten. She was killing little tentacle aliens that walked in straight lines in opposite directions toward each others bases. She had killed more than anyone else on either team giving her the most gold lead.   
She had ten kills and zero deaths by the time the first match ended. There was a 20 minute break in between to let the players go over strats for their next match, but apparently it didn't help that much as the second match didn't go as well apparently their tank Tangerine apparently did what Peridots worst fear was and ‘fed’ which apparently means they just kept dying and made the other team way stronger.   
They had one more chance to pull the game back in their favor it was a two outta three match and they had to win this one to advance. Peridot shook her head at the loss, but she spoke words of encouragement to her team.  
“You all can do this, I know and have known each of you for a very long time. I know you all have the fight in you for this one, I just know we can win this. We have to play as a team though stay together when the battles start. Don’t go in by yourself no matter how much damage you can do or how tanky you get. We are a team like no other and no one's gonna take that from us tonight.” She cracked her knuckles and went to join the lobby of the tournament implying she was ready and her team followed. They waited for the next match to start up and when it did Peridot called all of the shots. Her team followed her into battle trusting every ult to be thrown and every move to make.   
By the end of the match the Empire City Stickers were defeated. Their base destroy leaving a champion banner over Peridots monitor. The announcer voice played now that the match was over “The Homeworld UFOs are moving forward into the regionals after defeating the Empire City Strikers!” I looked at Peridot she had her hands up to her face bawling.  
“Guys, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I wanted to surprise you cause I know how good you all are and I wanted you to know you could win as much as I did so I had to show you. We did it we fricken did it.” She was laugh crying at this point tears of joy.   
Her friends on the other end of the call were shocked, but whooped and hollered and Tangerine spoke about being a better team player for regionals. They had really done what Peridot knew they could do. She was a real leader at least when it came to games her outside of gaming life though I am not too sure.  
Peridot turned to us and hugged Amethyst who lifted her up in response. Once she hit the ground she threw her arms around me squeezing my core and nuzzling into my collar bone. She was so small and so warm. “Thank you for all your help today. It means so much to me. Friends?” she leaned back away from me eyes still shedding a few happy tears.  
Why did the word friend sting so bad, that's what I wanted to be right? “Yeah, of course I made that decision a few hours ago. I don’t know what took you this long to ask though.” She hugged me again tighter.  
The door burst open again this time there was no happy voice accompanied with it as when Amethyst entered “Get your hands off my girlfriend” A tinier girl then Peridot stomped into the room followed by a brute of a man with a buzzcut. “Peridot, you are mine why are you touching someone else. You should be at home at your desk helping me with stats right now.”  
“I was just giving my friend a hug I won the tournament that was tonight.” She shrunk herself down to less then this girls size. Amethyst had her arms crossed and was watching cautiously in case she needed to jump in, but also like it was a common occurrence for this type of thing to happen between the two.  
“What tournament? Who cares get your shit we're going to your room to do my stats now Topaz help her pack her shit.” Peridot hurriedly packed her things as fast as possible most likely cause the brute wouldn’t care if something broke.  
“I can help her.” I slid down next to Peridot and helped her wrap the wires fast and neat. Topaz and Aquamarine shrugged and looked down at their phones Aqua tapping her foot showing her annoyance at the wait.  
“Thanks I’m sorry you had to see that. I… she's usually not like this” she whispered to me unsure of her words.  
“You don’t have to lie to me I can tell this isn’t the first time Peridot. I am supposed to be your friend don’t lie to me for her sake.” She was crying again slightly, but now for a different reason. She threw the bag over her back and I picked up the desktop portion like I had before. We put it gently in her car Amethyst helped carry out the chair and put it in the trunk. “Thanks again for everything Lapis.” She went to the drivers door looking at Aquamarine and her brother glaring at her from their tiny black mini cooper. How he fit I had no clue. She sighed and got in. Amethyst patted the trunk of the bug and she was off the mini cooper following close behind.  
“Is it like that all the time?” I looked after her car as I asked Amethyst.  
“Yeah, she doesn’t know what love looks like even if it looked dead in her face. She's had bad relationships before filled with weirdos or people using her, but this is by far the worst. She's never the one to leave them though, usually they always get bored with her or they are done using her and they dump her. I wish she could she that she deserves more.”  
“Next time I am going to say something. I couldn’t stand watching her be hurt how could you you've known her for longer and are her friend?” I was angry that she was being hurt and I hadn’t or Amethyst hadn’t helped.  
“Unless you want Topaz to bash in your face I would highly recommend no guns blazing approach. I love the spunk though. The first time I tried to say something Topaz gave me a black eye and had me followed by his jock lackys for a week.” She looked pained that she also couldn’t help as she squinted at the now lit street lights.  
I looked at my watch it was almost close and I had to shut everything down for the night. “Hey I have to go and close up shop you can join me if you want to?”  
“I would love to, but I have to get home to my girlfriend, but at least mine is good to me. It was really good meeting you and I hope to see you around more. I haven’t seen someone be able to relax and just be Peridot with a new person that fast since… hell never I guess. Have a good night Lazuli.” She waved as she walked down the road towards campus. Some of the closest dorms were only about a ten minute walk from here.  
I walked back in the shop and cleaned up after my shift. Usually shifts on a day like this would have been boring and tiring. I am glad we were the only place in town open or else I wouldn’t have met Peri. I quickly cleaned and locked up the front door. I headed to the back alley and put my helmet on sending a strand of blue locks into my face. I pushed it to the side and hopped onto my moped and headed home. Halfway there I realized I didn’t get her number.


	6. Empty Home

When I got home and up the flight of stairs I kind of dreaded opening my door. It was going to be empty and quiet. Today I had people and action that I was involved in not just an outsider looking in like I was so many times before. I threw my keys into the small ceramic bowl I had made in my ceramics class at Beach City University before I was exiled.   
I couldn't deal with that now there was nothing I could do at this point. I needed to find a way to help Peridot and also get her information.   
I can’t stand seeing someone being so hurt and not doing anything. I wish I had done something, but it was like watching myself from less than a year ago. Being hurt over and over again. I can’t let her go through the same pain I did, no one will touch her without her permission or use her again.  
Yet, I don’t even have her number. I don’t want to stalk her on social media and message her I want to see her in person and ask her. I want to see her again. I made myself tea in a large mug I needed to calm down my core was on fire and my head was swimming. I knew I needed help I sat on the end of my bed and surveyed the room. It was all my college dorm stuff that I was using as furniture so I had barely anything in my small apartment. I set my tea down on the floor not having a nightstand and flopped back in my bed.  
Wait, Amethyst, she could tell me where to run into Peridot so I could ask for her number in person the right way. God, why did it matter to me so much to ask her in person? Amethyst hates Aquamarine probably more then me having to see Peri hurt for so long and having to deal with that girl's stupid face. I know she'd help me. I slid my phone out of the pocket of my skinny jeans there was already a friend request from Amethyst on Instagram with a message waiting.  
“Dude, you like P-dot don’t you?” followed by “I’m sorry, you just looked at her different than most people including stupid Aqua.” It was followed by a barf emoji.  
Did I like her or did I just want a friend? “She’s just a friend, but I don’t like Aquamarine either. I want Peri to be safe. Can you help me figure out where I can run into her.”  
I waited as I saw her icon disappear and then come back and start writing “She’ll most likely be holed up in her room all day with it being the weekend. Maybe I could get her to you though?”  
I took a deep breath it would be easier for her to come to me I had to work for the rest of the weekend. I was excited and nervous at the same time at the thought of her coming to see me. “She did say she wanted to pay me back for the Matcha Latte I made her.”  
“Ok, Lazuli I’ll make sure she comes by and pays up tomorrow. Have a good night my dude” I rolled over into my pillow and sighed of relief. I get to see her again.


	7. Red Eyes

I woke up and rubbed my head I had made the mistake of staying up too late reading Camp Pining Hearts fic. It was 6:30 I had 30 minutes to get dressed and drive to work. I Slipped on a pair of black skinny jeans and a light grey ‘V’ neck that had the logo and name of the store across the front. I waddled with sleepy legs to the bathroom and ran a brush through my bobbed hair which I needed to re-dye soon as it wasn’t as vivid as I’d like it to be. I brushed my teeth and was out the door in less than twenty minutes.  
I got to the shop and started all the machines up. I unlocked the front door and switched on the neon open sign.   
The first two hours were pretty slow until people started waking up and dragging themselves in for their morning coffee. Sadie dragged herself in and waved tiredly she had makeup from last night's performance still smeared around her eyes. “Hey, Sadie you want your usual?”  
“Yes, thanks Lapis, I need it.” She dragged herself to the counter and pulled out her wallet.  
“You aren’t working today?”  
“No, Lars was nice enough to take over for today by himself. He saw how tired I was and told me to take the day for myself.”  
“Lucky you.” I handed her her red eye that she so desperately needed.  
She took a long sip sighing. “You always make the best drinks you know that Lapis. Hey, something on your mind, you seem preoccupied today?”  
I sighed looking up from the countertop I had been looking into dazed. “Yea, I met someone yesterday and I am waiting for them to come visit me.”  
Sadie let out a long “ooooo” she laughed “tell me everything.”  
Between the incoming customers, I told her of Peridot and how she stormed in looking for wifi, Amethyst, the tournament, and then the run-in with Aquamarine and Topaz. She finished her first drink and ordered a second by the time I finished my story. It was passed the lunch rush and Sadie and I sat at one of the tables as I took a well-deserved break with a sandwich with some chips we make in house.  
“So, now that there aren’t any more customers how much do you like this girl.” She raised her eyebrow at me.  
“Ummm, I don’t know what you mean were friends.” I shuffled in my seat. We were just friends but saying it made me upset. I think I wanted more, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t ready.   
“Do you want more?” She furrowed her eyebrows. “Maybe it's time, to you know, try and see someone else. This time on your own terms, not someone else's.” It was like she read my mind.  
“I don’t know if I can handle the possibility of getting hurt again.”  
There was a thud on the front window and a smearing sound against the glass as Amethyst had her nose and forehead pressed against it making faces and waving her arms at me and Sadie. Peridot was standing behind her waving with a shy smile.  
“Don’t just sit there and stare Lapis, let them in and introduce me already.” I hadn’t realized I had been staring at the short blonde.


	8. Music Talk and Number Swap

I went to the door and unlocked it. I almost knocked off the ‘on break come back soon’ sign on the door and readjusted it to make it straight again. Amethyst came in pulling at Peridots wrist “Heya, Lazuli, P-dot told me she owes you some cash and I want more of that weird coffee.”  
“Can’t you see she’s eating Amethyst. She’s on break.” Peridot lightly swatted at Amethyst arm “Give the girl a break the sign said it as we walked in.”  
“Oh, sorry, I'm just excited that stuff made me feel weird. I dunno, I liked it.” She caught eyes of Sadie. “Yooooo, it's you, Sadie, I love your music dude.”   
Amethyst made her way over to the table and pulling up an extra chair for herself. The started talking about music and how her show went last night.  
“Hey Peridot, you don’t have to pay me back for the latte really I won’t let you.” she looked like she wanted to object “but, you could give me your number as payment, also I forgot to ask for it last night.”  
She slightly frowned “I guess if that’s really what you want, but I will buy another today and pay for it myself then. That is once your lunch break is over. Do you want me and Amethyst to leave, you were eating?”  
“No, of course not.” The thought of her leaving after just getting here pained me slightly. I pulled out my phone and she put her number in it.  
We walked back to the table and I pulled a chair up for Peridot to sit in. Sadie and Amethyst seemed to hit it off right away. “Sadie, this is Peridot, Peridot this is Sadie.” Sadie reached out her hand for Peridot to shake. “I guess I don’t have to introduce you two”.  
“Yeah, Amethyst beat you to it slow poke.” Sadie grinned cheekily at me.  
Amethyst and Sadie continued talking about music and some of the ideas Sadie had come up with for their next step in stardom. They had their eyes on playing eventually in Empire City, then an international tour one day, but for right now the beach and a growing online following would do.  
Peridot was looking at the door as if she was scared someone would burst through the door at any minute.  
I whispered quietly to her so the others couldn’t hear “you okay?”  
“No, Aqua is really really mad about last night.” She shook her head and looked down to her hands knotted in first in her lap.  
I got up and went behind the counter “Hey, Peridot can you help me with this really quick, I am gonna make drinks for everyone. I don’t want to interrupt their conversation.”   
She came over and we walked into the small back room. “What happened last night?” She knew I was going to ask and already had a small pool of tears welling up.  
“Topaz broke my gaming mouse for not helping Aqua when she wanted me there. I… I thought she knew I wasn’t free till after the tournament. I told her, Lapis, I told her three or more times when it was. I haven’t shut up about it, why didn’t she remember?” tears streamed down her soft cheeks I wanted to take them all away.  
“Is that all they did last night? Did they touch you, are you hurt physically.” I didn’t want her to be hurt either way ever again, but I needed to know how bad it was.  
“No, no, they didn’t hurt me besides my feelings and what will come out of my wallet for a new mouse.” She sniffled.  
I took her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. She stiffened in my arms and pushed me away.   
“I can’t, I can’t hug anyone anymore. I'm not allowed anymore or else something bad might happen.”


	9. Shattered

“You can’t what?” I was shocked and angry. “Why? What did they say to you?”  
“They didn’t give me specifics, but they just told me I’d really regret it. I don’t want to make things worse with her.”  
“Why do you stay with her?”  
“She cares about me, shes just… shes just jealous and wants me to herself. She just didn’t remember my tournament and I should have reminded her.” She was searching for excuses to protect Aquamarine. She didn’t realize that I saw through them all. She wiped her eyes on the corners of her light green flannel sleeve. “How can I help with the drinks.”  
I pulled out two mugs for her to carry and grabbed two myself. She leaned against the counter as I made another red-eye for Sadie, Mushroom coffee for Amethyst, Peridots alien matcha, and myself another oolong mixture. She helped me carry back two on our journey back to the table.   
“You eating that Lapis.” Amethyst was pointing at my lunch I barely ate.  
“Don’t be rude and take her food.” Peridot straightened up and swatted Amethyst hand away.  
“No, it's fine, I am not really hungry anymore.” I pushed my whole plate away towards Ameythst. My stomach was in knots after talking to Peridot. I don’t know how to help her, but I need to. I can’t watch someone else get hurt like I did.  
Peridot and I sat in silence as Amethyst and Sadie carried on talking in between eating. I looked at my watch and it was the end of my break. I went to the door unlocking it and taking the sign down so people knew they were free to enter.   
I busied myself behind the counter organizing and cleaning up after the lunch rush. I just needed to think of a way to help her.  
The front door opened to Topaz standing in the frame backlit by the sun outside. “Peridot, I see you got out of my sight for a bit. You know you weren’t supposed to leave without permission first. Aqua needs you and you keep leaving her. She needs you to do her biochem homework now.” He had made his way to Peridot who was trembling.  
“No.” I stepped from around the counter.  
“And who the hell do you think you are?”  
“I’m Lapis, and you can’t tell her what to do.” I knew I needed to take the heat off Peridot. “I invited her to lunch and begged her to come it's my fault anyway if you want someone to blame.” He stepped toward me.  
“Shes our thing to deal with and this is none of your concern” I eyed Ameythst and Sadie and nodded slightly to the door Peridot was frozen. They got the message and grabbed Peridot and dragged her toward the door slowly.  
“She's not a thing. She's a person, not an object to use and fuck with.” They made it to the door and pushed it open making the bell sound. Amythest was basically carrying Peridots limp body as they ran.  
“You bitch, you'll regret this” he started making his way to the door to chase after them. I picked up my tea mug on the counter and threw it at him. It shattered on the floor spending shards of the glass mug into his legs. I turned and ran out the back room into the alley through the back door I unclipped my keys from my belt and locked it behind me I jumped on my moped and started it up. I drove passed him as he exited the storefront, my friends were nowhere in sight.


	10. RA Reports

I drove down the road and pulled out my phone. Sadie already messaged and said they were down at the Big Donut. I pulled out and drove the long way around town to be sure I missed driving passed Topaz. When I pulled in Amythest was talking to a slender girl with light pink hair outside of a minivan. She caught eyes on me and ran up hugging me.  
“Dude, you totally saved P back there. The problem is now what do we do? Topaz is on the hunt for her still.” I nodded in agreement.  
“I may have made everything worse.” I turned to the other girl.  
“Hello, Lapiz I presume. I’m Pearl I work as an RA at Beach City University, I believe we met before?”  
I did know her during my short stint at the university she was the one who sent someone to help me unload some of my boxes not that I had much. I smiled weakly “Yes, we did I am sorry it slipped my mind. Do you have any plans of getting her out of this?” I nodded towards the store where I could just make out Peridots rocking outline.  
“Well, I need her to file a report against those two heathens.” She hissed the words. “I can’t technically do anything about something I didn’t see unless she files a report then an investigation could go underway. The university takes abuse and threats very seriously and I want those two out of my school.” She sighed. “She says she won’t though or everything will be worse for her and all of us if she does.”  
“What even happened after we ran? Did he hurt you?” Amethyst looked worried she was remembering her black eye most likely.  
“No, he started after you so I threw my mug at him and it shattered I think I cut his leg up good. I ran after I threw it and then came here Sadie texted me where you guys were. “I should go and talk to her.” I walked to the store and Sadie was talking to Lars about what happened. He was holding her tight like she was the one who was in major danger. Peridot sat at a small table in the front rocking back and forth.   
“Peri? You're safe now. I am going to get you some tea ok?” She stared straight ahead rocking.  
I walked back to Lars and Sadie. “Hey, Lars, can you do me a huge favor please can you go down to the shop and lock up for me? I’m going to call my boss and tell him what happened He will understand I hope.” Lars nodded and grabbed my keys. He kissed Sadies forehead and left. “Hey, Sadie wheres the to-go cups and some of the bag tea, I also need honey. She handed me it all and I set off making the tea with three dripping full spoons of honey. I laid The 2 dollars on the counter.  
I took Peridots hands and placed the tea in them “Here drink this Peri.” I was quiet and soft trying to relax her. She had stopped rocking, but was stiff.”   
She looked at me finally “Thanks, I am so so sorry Lapis. I didn’t want you to get hurt. You didn’t have to do that for me. You could have got hurt. You could have…” she trailed off looking lost.   
“Are you going to report them?”  
“I don’t know, she said she loves me.”  
“Peridot, that’s not love, I promise.” My eyes were tearing.  
“Ok, I will think on it tonight can someone drive me home I want to ignore the world for a bit and play Lunarskys it helps me relax.”  
I took her hand gently and pulled her to her feet. I can take you or you could go with Pearl or Amethyst I’m sure?”  
“Can I ride with you?”


	11. May I have this Ride

I went up to my moped and opened the one saddle bag and slipped out an extra helmet I had for when Sadie walked to my apartment and didn’t want to walk back home. I slipped it onto Peridots head and I tightened it to make sure she would be safe. I put mine on as we waited for Lars to get back with my keys. Amethyst and Pearl talked to each other quietly looking back and forth between me and Peridot.  
Lars pulled in on his motorcycle and threw me back my keys. “I cleaned up the glass for you. There was blood on the floor too, looks like you got this dude good Lazuli, I also cleaned that up for ya. The place is all locked up for you now.” He took off his helmet and leather jacket and went back inside. I watched through the window as he bent down and kissed Sadie. He’s been much better since he went on his international trip where he helped people in need for a few months. Sadie missed the shit out of him, but he came back sweeter and more caring no matter how cool he acts he still is a mush.  
I climbed onto the moped and turned to help Peridot over onto the seat. Reaching out my hand I teased “My I have this ride my lady?” to which Peridot laughed and called me a clod.   
When she got on she seemed nervous though. She whispered, “Not to fast ok Lapis there are no seat belts.” I laughed at her.  
“Don’t worry I obey the laws of traffic. Here hold onto me so you don’t fall off.” I turned the keys and took off slow from the parking lot. Peridot reached around my waist and leaned close against my back. She was so small and warm like a tiny space heater as we rode even though the Spring air was slightly cold when you rode through it.   
When we got to campus I asked where I should park. She directed me to a visitor parking lot that I could use for up to two hours without getting a ticket and not needing a visitor pass.  
I parked and took off my helmet and she took off hers and I slid them into my saddlebags. “So, what dorm do you live in?”   
“I live in the one newer dorm I wanted the single apartments cause I don’t really like sharing my space and bathroom with people I don’t like or know.” She started walking and I followed not knowing if I should or not. We walked across campus to the new dorm hers was the furthest away. I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure Aqua or Topaz wasn’t around. We walked up the two flights of stairs to her room.   
“You wanna come in for a bit?” She said as she was unlocking the door.   
“Yeah, if you don’t mind?”   
“I don’t really wanna be alone anyway right now.” As she stepped aside to let me in. I looked around her room. There was a Camp Pining Hearts poster above her bed.  
“You watch too,” I said pointing at the poster  
“Of course I do, It’s only the best show ever!” she was herself again the Peridot talking about her joys and interest. “Please tell me you ship Percy and Pierri? They are the best ship ever, every other is inferior.” She jumped up on the bed in excitement. I laughed at her. She was so cute when she was excited.  
“Of course I ship them you’d have to be stupid if you couldn’t see how much of a cute power couple they are.” I jumped up next to her on her extra-long twin bed.  
I surveyed more of the room from my higher place. Her desk was against the wall with a view of the back quad. Her computer, monitor, and a half dozen figurines some I recognized from her game covered it. In the nearby trashcan was her mouse crushed into mangled plastic and wires the alien logo nearly unrecognizable. I thought of how much she must have loved it.  
The room was pretty tidy besides some stray clothes that looked like they were from yesterday and this morning just outside of the hamper. I laid eyes on alien head boxers mixed in. They were cute just like her. I chuckled and turned to her.   
She was staring at me “why are you so nice to me Lapis? You barely know me and you saved me from Topaz and you took care of me yesterday. You've only known me like 24 hours and you’ve already done so much-”  
“Because you deserve people being kind and helping you.” I interrupted her. I needed her to realize what she deserves. She looked away eyes furrowed. She pushed her glasses back up onto her nose.  
“Thank you, Lapis, You mean a lot to me even though we have only known each other since yesterday. Usually, it takes a long time for me to get close to people and to feel like I can be myself, but with you it's different.” She smiled shyly.  
“You mean a lot to me too Peridot.”


	12. Left on Read

I spent another hour in her dorm room as she showed me some of the figurines and we watched the pilot of Camp Pining Hearts as we talked about the show. I could talk to her all day, but I had to move my moped soon I didn’t want to come close to the time of my parking and get a ticket. I also had to call my boss and let him know what happened.  
“I have to go Peridot. I wish I could stay, but I have to call my boss and I don’t want a ticket. I’ll text you when I get home though.” I stood grabbing my keys off her desk. “You will think more about reported them right?”  
“Yeah, I will.” She got quiet again.  
“Everyone was there for you today and we will continue to be.” I walked to the door. “Goodnight, Peri.”  
“Night, Lapis get home safe.” I exited the room wishing I could stay forever. What was this girl doing to me?   
As I descended the stairs Aqua appeared staring down at her phone. My heart stopped, but she was too preoccupied she didn’t realize I was passing her. She opened the door to go to Peridots floor. I pulled out my phone and texted Peridot “Aquamarine is coming to you're room. Are you ok I can come back?”  
I got a text back right away “I’ll be ok, I can handle it I think.”  
I took a deep breath and continued down the steps. I pulled up my bosses number and called. He was really understanding thankfully. I told him to enjoy his time with his family in Empire City and that I would see him Monday morning. I got on my moped and drove home. I texted Peridot letting her know I had made it there safely. She read it and I saw she was typing a response and then it disappeared.  
I got into my pajamas and waited listened to Spotify while drinking tea and waiting for her response. After an hour I asked if she was ok I started getting worried something happened to her. A read icon appeared, but no response came.  
I decided I would go over after my shift tomorrow and check on her and I should get some sleep, for now, it had been a long ass day.


	13. The Storm

I woke up 30 minutes before my alarm went off and couldn’t go back to sleep. I just had Peridot on my mind. I was so worried about why she hadn’t answered last night. Did Aquamarine do something to her?   
There was still no response on my phone this morning.  
I took a showered this morning as I had time and realized I hadn’t showered in the commotion of yesterday. I got out and texted Sadie asking if she’d be up for helping me redye my hair as I forgot to ask her yesterday.  
I headed into work grabbing a protein bar on my way for breakfast and when I got there I texted Peridot again asking if she was ok and if she had slept well. It was still early on a Sunday so I didn’t expect a reply right away.  
Work was pretty steady and the lunch rush was decent today. It kept me busy so I wasn’t focusing on just the small blond all day, but I did think about her in the moments of quiet drifting to thoughts of her smile her laugh. Once the lunch rush ended and the last few made their way out I locked the door and put a sign up for my break. I pulled out my phone as I went to the back room to make my sandwich and tea for lunch.  
I had a text and an Instagram message from Amethyst. The text was from Sadie saying she’d love to help me dye it. I checked Peridots and she had left me on read again. I opened Amethyst message she had sent her phone number with just the message of ‘call me’.  
I wolfed down my food and called her.  
“Heyo, Amethyst here who’s this.” she was trying to come off as cheerful, but I could tell something was wrong.  
“It's me Lapis what’s wrong?”  
“So, she's not filing the report. Aqua apparently apologized to Peridot. Made her promise not to talk to any of us again. She apparently kissed her to seal the deal.”  
“She what…?” fire burned in my stomach I wasn’t sure if it was over the promise the kiss or both.  
“Don’t worry Lapis it was a kiss on the cheek. Honestly, Aqua isn’t even into Peri she’s just using her. Aqua is seeing a guy or multiple guys on the football team on the side Pearl, Garnet, and I have tried to tell her we’ve seen her holding hands with plenty of the football players, but she tells P that they are ‘just friends and friends can hold hands you're not jealous are you’.” She mocked a high pitched voice “I don’t know what to do now. I don’t want something to happen to her if we try and intercede”.  
“We will figure something out, but thank you for telling me now I know why she hasn’t been responding at least. I have to get back to work my breaks almost over. I will text you later.”  
“Ok, Lapis have a good shift.”  
I hung up stomach in knots and mind running over how I could fix this. The rest of my shift my mind was in a fog, running in circles. I just wanted to get home.  
When closing rolled around it was dark outside from thunderclouds. It was going to rain and I was probably going to have to wear my poncho on my moped as I rode home. As I was locking the front door the first drops started falling. It made the air smell like early spring flowers and clean.   
I walked around to the back alley. Before I knew what was happening I was pinned against the brick wall with a small hand wrapped in my shirt. When my eyes focused after having my head thrown into the wall I saw Aqua holding me there. Topaz was behind her. They knew I was bigger and could probably win a fight if it was just me and her. I stood no chance against both of them.  
“You talk to her one more time and you will severely regret it.”   
I tried to wiggle out of her grasp, but she pushed her hip into my thigh pinning me harder.  
“I think you dropped something and hurt my brother yesterday. Remember this?” she pulled out a shard of glass from the mug I had thrown. She put it up to my cheek holding it against my skin. “If I ever even see you near her one more fucking time you will regret it.” I balled my hand into a fist as she readjusted her hand that was bunched in my shirt. I pushed back against the wall and connected my fist with her gut throwing her backward. The glass came down against my shoulder as she curled in on herself. I started running.  
“Get her you idiot” Topaz started after me at the command. I slipped on the loose wet gravel. He grabbed me by my arm and twisted. An awful pain shot up and down my arm. He started dragging me back to his sister. This must be how I die with these two assholes beating or stabbing me to death. A car pulled into the alley lights blaring. Topaz dropped me onto the gravel and torn up asphalt. My head was spinning and my vision was going blurry.


	14. Stormbreak

The next thing I knew I was lifted off the ground and was back in the coffee shop at one of the tables. Everything was spinning.   
My boss Ross was over me looking at my shoulder which had blood trickling at a steady pace down my arm. His wife Maple wrapped some ice into a towel and put it against the back of my head which hurt bad, but then turned into relief.  
“Good thing we came to take some of the money from the lockbox tonight what would have happened to you if we didn’t show up. So, Lapis you want to tell us who was trying to kill you in our alley?” Ross looked up at me as he wrapped a bandage around my one arm.  
“No” the world was not spinning as fast, but it was still hard to focus.  
“Lapis are you kidding they could have killed you. It looked like they were going to. I’m calling the police and an ambulance.” Maple said behind me pulling the ice away from my head going for her phone.  
“No, they will hurt her if you do that. They can’t hurt her. I need to protect her.” I was crying there was pain all over I didn’t know what hurt the most.  
“Is that the guy from the other night who chased your friends out of the shop yesterday? He came back here? Jesus Lapis they will just come back here and keep hurting you.” Everything went black and I felt my body hit the floor.


	15. Aftermath

I woke up in a sterile room. It was too bright and made my eyes hurt.  
“Shes awake can you run and get the doctor.” It was Ross.  
“Am I in the hospital?” I got my eyes half opened fighting against the light. He walked over to the light switch and flicked it off for me.  
“Yea, you went unconscious due to pain. We got you in the car and took you right here” He pulled up the chair next to me. “Lapis we called the cops on them. They are looking for them now I gave them the video evidence from the surveillance cameras from the shop and alley. They will be arrested if you press charges against them.”  
“No, no, no they will hurt her.” I felt the tears welling up.”  
“Lapis, no they can’t hurt you or her or anybody if they are in jail where they deserve to be.” He was right, but would she blame me for losing Aqua, would she thank me. Maple and a woman I saw before at the coffee shop came in, but this time she was wearing a lab coat.  
“Hello, I am Dr. Maheswaran. I will be your doctor during your stay with us. You came in with a pretty nasty lump on your head but we gave you an MRI when you were unconscious to rule out brain bleeding which there was none. Your right arm got a few stitches and they should dissolve on their own within a few weeks nothing major got hit luckily. Your other arm is sprained quite well so you should wear that brace for at least a week and baby it after no heavy lifting for at least a month.” She paused only for a moment looking at my boss who nodded slightly. I winched and held my side as I tried to sit up “You also have a good bit of road rash and bruising on your side and thigh from them dragging you. It's bandaged and when you leave you’re going to have to make sure you change the dressings and clean it. Don’t want an infection.”  
She pulled out some papers from the manila folder she was holding. “Here if you would like me to release your medical records t the police for the investigation you have to sign this.” I took them and signed them. “They deserve to go to jail for what they did you.” she smiled weakly as if to give me encouragement “I’m going to release you Wednesday if you seem to be doing well if not Thursday.” She left the room walking briskly to her next assignment.  
“Wait what day is it?” I looked around the room.  
“Monday afternoon, you were out most of Sunday night and today from the pain at first and then they had you on pain meds to keep you that way until you could deal with the pain most likely.” Ross looked concerned for me. He had become like a father figure and Maple like a mother. I was a child of the foster system never finding a place, aging out I made my way to Beach City University with a good scholarship and the rest I could deal with taking out loans for. I worked with them part-time until the school turned their back on me, but they took me on as a full-time employee so I could have a place to live and they even let me move into the little apartment that they used to rent for their son who now lives in Empire City. As long as I pay them to rent they deal with lease and stuff like that for me until the lease needs to be renewed, they offered to help me through the process once that time came.  
“Do you know where my phone and stuff is?” Maple picked up a pile of my things on the other chair in the room and brought it over to me.  
I took out my phone and started messaging Amethyst. ‘Please check on Peri. The cops are coming for Aqua and Topaz they fucked me up yesterday night. Please make sure she's ok.’  
‘Wtf, are you ok? Where are you? Let me find P.’  
‘I am going to be fine just make sure she’s safe.’


	16. Purple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, its gotten a bit dark guys, but I swear there will be more sweet lapidot moments as well as the drama in upcoming chapters. Hope you are all enjoying it so far anyway.

About an hour later there was a light knock on my door. There was Amethyst, Pearl, and Peridot she was chewing on the side of her thumb. “Can we come in? We had to bribe them to let us come in past visiting hours.”  
“Of course come in.” I was getting tired again by the time they got here, but I wanted to see them all, especially Peridot.  
“Amethyst don’t make up a story we just explained the situation and they were kind enough to let us in.” Pearl chastised her as Peridot stayed in the doorway not looking at me.  
“Come onnn, Pearl, let me have fun sometimes.” They continued to bicker just inside the room.  
“Hey Peridot,” I said it barely audibly, but she turned towards me still not looking at me. “Will you talk to me?” I just wanted her to look at me.  
“I'm so sorry. I didn’t know that’s where they were going last night. They said they had to handle a ‘problem’ I didn’t know they meant hurting you.” She finally looked at me she was pale usually, but she looked like she was going to faint. Her eyes were bloodshot from what I can only assume was crying. She walked over and sat in the chair by my bed. When she sat down her shorts pulled up there was a deep purple bruise on her thigh that peaked out from the edge of her shorts.  
I felt my blood boil “Peri what the fuck is that?”  
“Nothing I fell yesterday.” she tugged her shorts back over it. Amethyst and Pearl turned to to us.  
“Don’t lie to me what did they do to you?”  
“It’s nothing.”  
I leaned closer to her “Don’t lie to me for them, not after everything they did to us.” Amethyst walked over to Peridot and motioned for her to pull up her short leg. She revealed a long thick bruise up the side of her right thigh. “Anywhere else Peri?” I asked quieter choking it out she looked like she was going to be sick and I felt like I was going to be. She pulled up her flannel sleeve revealing a handprint like bruise less purple then her thigh on her arm.  
“What did they do to you P?” Amethyst kneeled down next to her looking at the bruises. Pearl stood behind her and held her shoulder reassuringly. I was angry I wanted them dead. They would never touch her again not with me around.  
“They tried to make me leave with them last night after they came after you. They wouldn’t tell me where they were going and I didn’t want to go. I was playing with my friends online and they ripped my headset off my head after I said no a few times. I had class today and they wanted me to skip, but I never just skip. Aqua grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my chair and part of the way across my room. I screamed and my friends heard me and cause my headset got disconnected we could hear them through my monitor and they were yelling asking if I was alright and ‘what the hell is going on’ Aqua got scared hearing them yelling and told Topaz to grab me I kicked him away so he kicked me hard in the leg. Aqua told him I wasn’t worth it anymore and told him to leave me. They left and I have no idea where they are.” She looked like she wanted to cry more, but she had no more tears left.  
“Why didn’t you tell me or Pearl?” Amethyst took her hand.  
“I didn’t want you to stress out over me.”  
“We’re your friends Peridot were here to help you and be there for you.” Pearl leaned down hugging her from behind. “Are you ready to file a report?”  
She looked between the two of them and then laid eyes on me. “Yes. They can’t hurt me and especially my friends anymore.”


	17. Hospital Bed

Pearl stepped out of the room and called the head RA on campus named Garnet to help with the reporting process. When she came back she pulled up a chair for herself. “I am also going to get your story, Lapis, of the other night's attack and the incident with Topaz in the coffee shop.” She pulled out a Moleskine notebook and pen from her purse.  
I told her about the coffee shop and then I told her about what Aqua and Topaz did to me in the alley. I showed her my stitches, explained the brace, the bandaged area around my side and thigh, then lastly I turned my head showing what I could only assume was a decent bump as I could feel it throbbing more and more as the pain meds had been wearing off. Pearl asked if she could take pictures to document it for both me and Peridots wounds. We both agreed and she set to taking them.  
“I am so jealous you got to punch that twit Aqua. I would have paid to see it. I’ve wanted to so many times.” Amethyst punched at the air.  
“Violence is not the correct way to handle things unless you are in danger like Lapis was. But your air punches I’m sure would have scared her away, love.” Pearl laughed and leaned down to kiss her cheek. Amethyst blushed a light rose color.  
“Ok, I think I got good enough pictures I am going to type up the report when I get back so me and Garnet can take it to the dean's office early in the morning before she has to many meetings and can’t take us. She looked at her watch we should really head out.” I didn’t want them to leave, but I was tired.  
Peridot saw me frown at the thought of them leaving. I didn’t want to be alone. “Hey, guys I will catch a ride with uber later I want to stay with Lapis a bit longer if she’s ok with that?” I smiled and nodded.   
“Ok, text us if you need anything ok,” Pearl said as she gathered up everything. Amethyst just winked at me and smiled when Peridot was looking at her. I shook my head at her as they left.  
“I didn’t want to be alone tonight either. My room doesn’t feel the same anymore. It doesn’t feel like it's safe or mine anymore.” I reached out my hand to her and she took it. I traced my hand across the back of her hand.  
“I know I am gonna be scared walking into the alley at work, but one day they will feel safe again, I promise. One day they will be out of our lives for good far away from us and we will be safe.” I smiled shyly at her. “Thank you for reporting them. I know it was really hard for you.”  
“I should have a long time ago it took them hurting us to realize how bad they actually were. I thought I deserved the rest of it I guess.” She looked away ashamed pushing her glasses back up.   
“I know what it’s like to feel that way, but you deserve so much better Peri. You deserve someone to give you so much goodness and happiness just like you give to your other friends and me. Aquamarine exploited that love and goodness that you gave without giving any in return.” I pulled on her hand “Come up here let's watch some Camp Pining Hearts on my phone.” She climbed up next to me in my hospital bed. I winced as she scraped my side slightly.  
“Oh no, I’m so sorry. Are you ok?” I shuffled myself so where she pushed against my side felt comforting and not painful.  
“Yea I am fine.” I pulled out my phone and pulled up Netflix. “Want to start where we left off last time?”  
“That sounds good Lapis.”  
I didn’t remember falling asleep. I woke up with Peridot curled up around my side with her head in the crook of my neck. I picked up my phone which had turned itself off in my lap. It was 3 in the morning and I had a few messages. Amethyst and Pearl had messaged saying that they got home safe. There was one from Ross saying he got his son from Empire City to come back home and help for the week as his grad school was on their spring break.   
The last message made me feel sick immediately ‘Drop the charges on my kids or I ruin you. You know I still have the pictures and the messages.’


	18. Chapter 18

I thought I had escaped Holly Blue Agate, but she was still haunting me. Fuck, what was I going to do? Her fucking kids, of course, are Topaz and Aqua just as awful as her. My heart started pounding which made the back of my head feel like it was going to explode. I couldn’t breathe my throat was closing in on itself and my lungs were on fire. I gulped for air sending searing pain down my side. I pushed Peridots glasses off my lap and pulled my legs slowly to my chest hugging myself.

I felt Peri stir next to me. Fuck I woke her up too.

“La...Lapis what time is it?” She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she picked up her head to look at me. “Hey, what's going on? Lapis, I’m here. Can I touch you?” She became alert when she realized I was not ok. I nodded I wanted to be held and to hide for a million years. She put her glasses on and carefully pulled me part of the way onto her lap making sure to avoid hurting me. The tears had finally started coming she softly brushed her hand over my hair avoiding the large bump rocking me gently and slow. “Whenever you’re ready we can talk about it ok unless you don’t want to and that's ok too.”

After a few minutes, I picked my phone back up off the bed and handed it to her. “It’s Holly Blue Agate…”

“Professor Agate, Topazes and Aquas mom? Why does she have your number and what is she talking about Lapis?”

I took a deep breath “I used to go to Beach City University, she also is the coach for the swim team. It was how I was able to go to school on scholarship. Everything was fine at first at the school practice was a few weeks out and I was starting my classes. I thought I met a girl on a dating site from the team and I was excited to meet her and we talked for a few weeks flirting and some of it got really intimate. She kept saying she couldn’t meet up because her schedule was crazy and I didn’t think anything of it because I was also busy getting settled at school. Then practices were starting and I kept looking for her she hadn’t made it to the first three and kept making excuses. One day I stayed to swim a little longer and when I went into the locker room Agate had one of the swimmers pushed against the wall kissing her.”

I paused and Peri gave me a squeeze of encouragement. She was listening and looking at me closely. “She saw me and I hurried and grabbed my stuff and left. I didn’t say anything to anyone about it because I didn’t know who to go to or who to tell. The next day I got a text from the online girl saying she was getting in trouble with Agate for not going to practices and wanted me to come to pick her up by her office. I went excited to meet her but upset at the circumstances. When I got there she wasn’t there, but Agate was in her office. She saw me and invited me in she got up and closed the door behind me. She said ‘Lapis I want to show you something.’ She opened up a folder on her computer that had all of the swim teams names within it.”

I closed my eyes tight not wanting to remember, but I had to tell Peridot. “She opened the one with my name, there were dozens of pictures of me. Naked in the locker room showers or in my bathing suit. She clicked open her internet tab and there was the dating app profile that I thought I was talking to. It was her the whole time. She scrolled through all the messages. The flirting the sexting it was all there.”

I looked down at my hands “She told me she was taking my scholarship and I was off the team for interrupting her and the other girl. I told her I was going to the dean and she threatened to post the pictures and the text I sent everywhere and she had people who would believe her more.”

Peridot pulled me closer. “I went to the dean anyway the next open meeting she had. Which was the next day. I told her everything so she went to IT to have them look for the files on the campus servers where everything was stored. They had access to look at everyone's files. All the files were gone there was no trace of them anywhere not even in the dump file for the school which only IT had access to actually delete the files.”

Peridot stiffened her eyes widen “Lapis I am so sorry. I can fix this. I am so sorry I should never have believed her.”


	19. On the Matter of Trust and Liking

"What are you talking about Peridot? None of this is on you." I was confused.

"Yes, I was the one who hid her files. Aqua told me her mom needed help with hiding her research files, that someone else at the university had been trying to get them so she wanted me to hide them for her. So, I did that, I didn't know what was in it or I would have never done it," Peridot was in tears "I am so sorry I keep hurting you without knowing. I am a clod I deserved to be hurt by them."

I was mad at her for a split second but none of this was her fault. "No, they tricked you like they did to me and most likely to others on the swim team." I pulled her hand out of her soft hair she was pulling on it hard.

"I am going to fix this," She stopped looking sad and scared and took on a determined look. "Let me call Pearl or Garnet and let them know this is more than just Topaz and Aqua." She crawled out of bed and called them pacing rapidly.

"Amethyst, I need Pearl. No, I know it's late. Yes, I know it's like 3 in the morning I just said... just get her it's important, please. Yea, this is more than just... yes, I know the time please just listen it's not just Topaz and Aqua that's a problem it's Agate too. Yes, as in the psych professor and their mother. She threatened Lapis."

I picked up my phone and just kept rereading the message in the same voice Agate used as she was taking my scholarship away soft, knowing, intimidating. Closing my eyes seeing flashes of that day of her showing me myself, smirking. I felt like I was falling into an ice-cold ocean.

Before I knew it a hand pulled me out cupping my shoulder. Next thing I knew arms surrounded me. Peridot had climbed up behind me and wrapped her arms and legs around me like a little backpack. I leaned back into her and she held me tighter.

"I'm gonna fix this. Pearl is gonna call Garnet and we are gonna fix this."

"Okay, I trust you, Peri."

"We can't do anything at this hour everything is locked up at the school and even Garnet doesn't have access to where I need to get to at this hour. You need you're sleeping to heal. I should go so you can get some rest." She started climbing out of the bed and she got her feet on the ground before I caught her hand. I winced as my arm ached where it was sprained. I didn't want her to leave now even more than before.

"Lapis are you okay?!" She spun around the second I winced wild-eyed as if she'd broken me further.

"Yea, it's just sore, pain meds have worn off. Please... just please don't go. I slept well with you here usually it's hard for me to fall asleep, especially when its someplace I am not familiar with." I scanned the hospital room and its sterile walls. I felt selfish that I wanted to keep her here with me.

"Okay, Lazuli move over then I didn't really wanna deal with getting an Uber at this hour anyway." She had a big smile on her soft round face as she climbed back into bed.

We laid on our sides facing each other as we started falling asleep before I could stop myself I was saying it "Peri, I like you..."

"Wha- I like you too." I could hear the confusion in her voice at the sudden conversation in the quiet room.

"No, I like like you Peridot."


	20. Consolation Prize

“Well, I… I think I like you too… Well like like you.” Peridot's eyes were now affixed wide on mine caught like a deer in the headlights.

“Do you?” I pushed regretting it instantly. I was being too needy too clingy.

“Uhm, I… yes, I do.” her lips curled into a sheepish smile and she let out a small giggle.

I leaned in closer to her pushing my forehead against hers. Feeling the warmth of her breath against my lips and then gone she pulled away and my stomach got butterflies that were not nerves but from embarrassment. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry I should have asked first.” She had sat up partially when she pulled away looking down at me I felt small.

“No, it’s ok, I just I don’t want to rush and ruin us. I just… with Aqua it’s… well that’s still fresh and my hearts still bruised I guess. Not that you’ll purposefully hurt me more I just I need to heal from this one before anything else, but I do like you, I promise Lapis,” She leaned down and softly kissed my forehead sending a warm rush across my skin. “A consolation prize until later?”

“Yeah, until later,” I smiled as she laid back down next to me “Is this okay?” I reached my good arm over top of her hovering waiting for permission.

She grabbed my arm and pulled it over top of her letting me hold her. “Let's get some sleep Lapis.”

“Okay, P” everything was going to be ok if I could spend every night with my arms around her like this.


	21. Lucky Bow Tie

I woke to warmth and someone standing over me. Well, two people standing over me.

“Hmmm, so I guess you two slept well?” Pearl had a smirk on her face as she said it while Amethyst had a mighty grin and was giggling while slightly bouncing from foot to foot.

“Yeah, I did, she's still asleep,” I looked down at Peridot her head slightly on my upper arm with a little drool. If she wasn’t so dang cute I might have minded. I tried to pull my arm out from upper her head, but searing pain rolled up my arm and tears immediately pooled at my eyes. “Ow fuck, I guess I am staying here till she wakes up.”

“Well, a good thing for you we need to wake her we got work to do,” Garnet startled me from by the doorway I hadn’t noticed her with Pearl and Amethyst in my face. “Pearl why don’t you go and get a nurse to give the poor thing some meds and Amethyst go hit up the vending machine they need food,” She threw a small red coin purse at Amethyst and they both went out of the room as Garnet walked over to the bed.

“Now, before I wake her I gotta know you promise to take care of her?” Garnet whispered and lowered her glasses down her nose to look me in my eye. “She’s been through so much and she is a good kid I wanna make sure she won’t get hurt again.”

“I want nothing more to protect her. If I didn’t Garnet I probably wouldn’t be in this hospital bed. She’s special and I just want to keep anyone from hurting her as they did ever again.” I was determined to keep this promise to Garnet and Peridot.

She smiled “good cause I like you, you got spunk I would like to see you around our group more.” with that she put a hand on Peridots shoulder and started shaking her awake gently. “Hey, Peridot, we have to get the files and the rest of us can’t do it without you.” Peridot's eyes slowly fluttered awake until she jumped up startled at Garnets presence.

“Garnet, what, when did you get here?” She looked at me and back to Garnet.

“Nevermind that, here we brought you some fresh clothes when we realized you never came home last night. We have to get to the school and we figured you should look professional for taking down Agate and company,” Garnet handed over a jet black button down, dark grey slacks, with a red bow tie on top. “I figured you needed a spy, but businessman look to get the job done.”

“My lucky bow tie, you’re the best Garnet. Okay, let me go change so we can go and get this done.” She jumped out of bed and hurried to the small on-suite bathroom that was sat in the corner of the room.

“I didn’t forget about you Lazuli, you and pearl are about the same size so I think this should work?” She held out a dark royal blue knee-length dress that had black flower patterns sewn into the soft linen.

“It’s lovely, but the doctor said I get out tomorrow and that’s if I’m doing well?” I wish I could go with them I want to see Agates face when we expose her for what she did.

Garnet reached out her hand to me “Well, we explained to you're a doctor and she says you have had no problems she's going to check your stitches and bruising and then give you a prescription and release you early if it looks good, you good with that plan Lapis.”

I already was smiling I wanted to get out of here and be part of this. I took the dress and sat up the rest of the way as I waited for Peridot to finish changing. Pearl and Amethyst came back with small powdered donuts and two gatorades and with a Dr. Maheswaran.

“I thought I’d do one better than a nurse.” Pearl was happy with her work of bringing back the doctor to help get a move on and get me out of here.

“Okay, how do you feel today Ms. Lazuli?” Dr. Maheswaran pulled up a small rolling stool and sat at the edge of the bed and took my arm where a small I.V. needle was still attached even though they took me off the I.V. bag and attached a small syringe with a clear liquid.

“Just fine I am sore today still, but don’t feel as bad now.” I was glad I was and didn’t have to lie about it.

“Well, these meds should help get you feeling pretty good today and I am gonna give you a script for some oral medication after this just for the next few days if you need them if the pains not to bad you can take a common pain reliever instead of those,” She emptied the syringe and took out the needle throwing it in the biohazard container. “Now let's see those stitches,” I rolled up my sleeve revealing the bandage over them which she carefully pulled off. “These look good let me just clean them up and rebandage them and I will give you a stitches care guide when we check you out in a bit.”

“So, I get to leave today?” I was so excited to be able to go I thought she may say no and ruin seeing the victory over Agate.

“Yes,” she stopped rebandaging my stitches to sit back and look at me “I have a daughter and I just… you are strong like she's growing up to be and as a mother I want you to be able to help bring justice to these scoundrels,” She hurried finishing the bandage “Okay, let me just check the road rash and bruising and rebandage it for you then I’ll get a nurse to get your discharge paperwork so you can leave. No, infections on Maheswaran’s watch.” She redressed my wounds efficiently and was out of the room in a flash I was already starting to feel the meds kick in.

Peridot came out of the bathroom with a large bit of hair still sticking up. “Sorry, it was taking me so long I can’t get this to go down. It’s driving me insane.” She licked her hand and slapped it down trying to slick down the enemy. We all laughed and Pearl pulled a comb out of her purse and gracefully tossed it to Peridot, which made her spaz out and drop all the clothes she had changed out of.

“My turn to get ready then.” I slid out of the bed and held my feet over the cold floor knowing standing I was gonna be sore. Going to and from the close bathroom made me ache. I stood with a bit of effort and swayed for a moment, but found my footing and I walked to the bathroom and changed into the soft dress and combed out my hair with my fingers leaving soft waves. I thanked the universe for the hospital leaving a small disposable toothbrush for me to use as I got ready.

I stepped out of the bathroom and everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

“Dang, Lapis looking good,” Amethyst said through powdered sugar lips.

“Yea get it, Pearl you made a good choice.”

“Well, thank you, Garnet. Lapis it does look quite stunning on you.” Pearl was flushed with praise.

“Wow, you look stunning Lapis.” Peridot's eyes looked me up and down. My face immediately flushed and burned hot.

“Thanks, looking pretty good yourself handsome, now let's get out of here.” I was happy to see Peri blush back.


End file.
